It's Almost Time to Write!

The 19th Annual Kleiman Creative Writing Contest, presented by the Kendallville Public Library and open to all 4th, 5th, and 6th grade students, is fast approaching in fall of 2017.

The Kleiman family has sponsored this contest for the past 18 years, in honor of Isadore and Pearl Kleiman, who were frequent visitors to the Kendallville Public Library. Isadore and Pearl's children are still involved, but now their grandchildren are taking an active role in the contest and its funding.

Watch for details to be available soon.

Blogs Provide Valuable, Teachable Information

The Kendallville Public Library offers two blogs, which provide parents with valuable information on the lessons we teach and how to extend those lessons at home.

STEAM Tales

This is where you'll find photos, information and instruction on our lessons involving science, technology, engineering, art and math. Throughout the year, you'll see what we're doing in the library and in East Noble classrooms, and we'll explain how you can extend the lessons at home.

KPL Kids' Corner

The blog is specific to our M.A.P.S. Workshops. Each week, we will feature the activities kids participate in, whether they are focused on Movement, Art, Play or STEM.

Here you will find information about the stories and songs we include in each event. We'll also post photos of our activities, explain why they're important to early childhood development and how you can mimic these activities at home.

The KPL Kids' Corner blog is one more way for you to keep connected with the library, if your child is sick and misses a workshop, or you're away on vacation. You can even flip through the archives to find fun activities you can do at home with your child.

The WordUP Program was developed to increase awareness of a child's need to hear 21,000 words a day to be prepared for kindergarten.

The Kendallville Public Library has many programs in place to help prepare kids for kindergarten. Preschool Class, baby and toddler programming, 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten and TumbleBooks online are all great resources for parents that make it easy to ensure their child hears 21,000 words each day.

Birth through age 5 are widely known as critical years for brain growth and development. Talking, interacting and reading with a child are some of the best ways for parents and caregivers to prepare these young minds to be successful in school.

The WordUP program focuses primarily on outreach in the community, teaching parents and caregivers how to incorporate literacy into everything the do, every day.

1,000 Books Before Kindergarten

It's easy to participate! Just stop in the library, sign up and check out one of the 100 bags, each including 10 books. Together, read the books inside and complete a fun activity. Repeat until you've read 1,000 books!

There are lots of reasons why reading 1,000 books before Kindergarten is important:

Reading and providing a text-rich environment at home before entering school increases reading readiness.

Vocabulary can be developed by sharing books.

Building vocabulary and adding to a word bank is of the utmost importance for being ready to read.

Making sure early reading experiences and activities are fun will contribute to the prevention of reading difficulties in school.

Positive home and library experiences with reading and reading activities ensure positive attitudes for reading once a child is in school.

Campbell's Soup Labels for Education

Collect Labels for Education...at the store or online!

Now it's easier than ever to help raise money for the library through Campbell's Labels for Education program.

Just register your Kroger card online!

Go to elabelsforeducation.com to sign up, and every time you purchase a qualifying Campbell's product, the library will receive points that can be used to purchase program supplies. No cutting of labels or UPC codes required!

Both the Kendallville and Limberlost Public Libraries are still accepting those UPC codes or beverage caps from participating products. The brand names include: Campbell's, SpaghettiOs, Pepperidge Farm, Swanson, Franco American and V8.

Just clip the UPCs and bring them to the library. We'll save them, and then redeem them in exchange for much needed supplies for children's programming.

It's that easy!

In the past, the library has been able to purchase crayons, markers, toys, a parachute and many other program supplies.